Method of attaching buttons to fabric.



B. T. LBVEQUE. METHOD OP ATTAGHING BUTTONS T0 FABRIC. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. ze, 190s.

91 8, 87 3, PatentedApnZO, 1909.

nisrrnn saperne *sanear foreros.

BERNARD T. LEVEQUE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

METHOD OF ATTACHING- BUTTONS TG FABRIC.

Y, `Spy{ssii-1cation of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2o, 1909.

Application l:tiled January 29,` 1909." Serial No. 475,072.

To all whom if may concern:

Beit known that I, BERNARD T. LEVEQUE, a subject of the `King of Great Britain, and resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented anY Improvement in Methods of AttachingButtons to` Fabric, of which the following'description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like numerals'on the drawing representing like parts.

rllhis invention has for its object the production of a novel method ofattaching an eyeebutton to a fabric in a strong and durable mannerby means of interlocking primary and secondary loops of the samethread, so that individual buttons are firmly secured in place, irrespective of the integrity of the in tervening portion of thread between two successive buttons.

The novel features of themethod will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims. In United States Patent No. 886,826 granted to me the 5th day of May, 1908 I have shown and described an apparatus for carrying out the method of attaching buttonsV hereinafter set forth. Y

Figure 1 of the drawing1 is an enlarged view of an eye-button and a portion ofthe fabric,

the latter in section, with a primary loop of thread passed throu h the fabric and through the` eye of the utton, the button at this time being supported above the fabric; Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the fabric as having been advanced after the formation of the primary loop, the button-support also moving the button along, so that the buttoneye is clear of the path of the needle, and the primary loop is shown in position to be entered by the needle on its next descent. Fig. 3 is a like view, but showingtlie `button asreleased from its support after a secondary loop of the thread has been passed through the fabric and through the primary loop. Fig. l is a perspective view, showing the secondary loop spread after it has been cast off from the needle preparatory to placing such loop over the button close to the fabric. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fi 8, but showingthe secondary loop after it as been placed over the button andV between itand the fabric, in

readiness for the tightening of the threadl` Fig. 6 is a view after theV threadhas been partly tightened, the button-eye and the interlocked loops heilig shown in section, as is also thefabric. Fig.7 is a perspective view showing the nished knot, and in order to illustrate it more clearly the button-eye is shown in full lines but the button itself is in dotted lines. Fig. 8 is a view showing the fabric in section and a button attached* thereto by the finishedv knot, the final and -longadvance having been given to the fabric to position it for the attachment of the next button, shown in dotted lines, when the needle again descends.

In carrying out in practical form my novel method the fabric is clamped between a stationary presser-foot and a yieldingly controlled work-support, which effects a proper securing of the fabric during the operation of attaching the button thereto while permitting a short initial advance of the fabric after the primary loop of thread has been passed through the fabric and the eye of the button, a second and longer advance of the fabric being effected after the attachment of the button, to effect the completion of the feed, and

lthen the work is unclamped before the operation is repeated with the next button to be attached. A hooked needle is employed to form the stitch, said needle moving in a single path, and the feed of the fabric is effected wholly independent of the needle. After the secondary loop had been passed through the fabric and the primary loop such secondary loop is spread and temporarily held, and cast off from the needle, after which the loop is tipped over and placed over the button close to the fabric, and then the thread is tightened by a suitable take-up, drawing taut the loops and completing the attachment.

In the drawings the fabric is indicated at F and 2 is a button having an eye or shank 3, the thread leading to the source of supply being indicated at 4.

Assuming the fabric to be held by suitable resserand the fabric, and the thread is carried around the needle, being caught by the hook thereof. The needle is now lifted, drawing the `primary loop 5 of the thread upwardly through the fabrlc and the eye of the button,

as shown in Fig. l, the button at this time I being suitably supported, as for instance in the end of a raceway, with its eye 3 substanric tially horizontal, a suitable hook-closer preventing accidental .displacement of the loop from the needle. lhe fabric is now given a short initial advance or feed movement while the needle is above the fabric and at rest, and the button is also moved forward, to move the button-eye clear of or beyond the path of the needle, and the needle is then moved downwardly away from the hookcloser, throwing od the primary loop 5, as in Fig. 2', while the needle descends through such loop and the fabric to its lowest point. Again the thread is carried around the needle and is caught by its hook, and the needle then rises, drawin^ the secondary loop 6, up through the fabric and through the primary loop 5, as in Fig. 3, but outside of the buttoneye, the loop 6 being held on the needle by the hook-closer, the primary and secondary loops now being interlocked. At this time the button is released from its support, preferably by withdrawal of the support therefrom, so that the button drops down toward the fabric, as in Fig. 3. A loop-spreader is now moved bodily in a curved path above the button, and the point of the s )reader enters the secondary loop, the need e descendslightly to uncover the hook and release the loop, continued movement of the spreader casting off the loop from the needle and spreading such loo as shown in Fig. 4 in'the shape of a triang e.

Y When the loop 6 is fully spread it is temporarily held while the bodily movement of the spreader is completed, and the spreader is tipped downward to overhang the button, with its extremity below the bottom of the button and close to the button-eye 3, the secondary loop then being shed. from the spreader and placed over the button, as shown in Fig. 5. rllhe slack of the thread is now taken up byV the take-up, pulling the loops and 6 taut around the eye of the button, as in Fig. 7, and the final long feed movement of the fabric is effected to position such fabric for the attachment thereto of the next button, as shown in Fig. 8, the needle being shown in readiness to descend through l the eye of the next button to be attached,

indicated by dotted lines. The cycle of operations is now completed, and the fabric is unclam ed and remains unclamped until just be ore the downward movement of the needle through the eye of the button neXt to be attached.

When the thread is taken up after the secondary loop has been placed over and around the button any slack of the primary loop 5 is taken up, so that the primary and secondary loops are drawn tightly together and the button-eye is pulled up against the fabric, as in Fig. 7, the button-eye being left substantially at right angles to the line of feed of the fabric.Y

Each button is firmly attached to the fabric by interlocking loops, wholly independ` ent of the attachment oil' the next button, so that should the intervening portion of thread between two adjacent buttons be severed the attaching knot of either button will not be interferred with.

The illustration of the parts in Fig. t5 shows the interloclred primary and second ary loops 5 and 6 as partly tightened, and it is to be understood that ordinarily the upright position of the button will not be assumed until the final tightening of the loops to l'orm the flat knot shown in Fig. v7.

When the needle drawing the second ary loop of the thread up through the fabric and the primary loop the thread at the side leading to the supply is held so that as the needle rises there will be a shortening of the primary loop, from the lem-th shown in Fig. to that shown in Fig. 3.

As the spread secondary loop (3 is moved from the position shown in Fig. el to that shown in Fig. 5 the loop changes from the triangular to the oval shape, due to the fact 'hat the sides of the spreader converge tothe tip thereof, so that when the tip is depressed to place the secondary loop around the button close to the fabric the sides of the loop slide down the sides of the spreader and slacken as the loop is discharged.

Having fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent iszl. The herein described method of attaching a button to a fabric, which consists in moving a needle downuf'ardly through the eye of the button and the fabric to thread the needle, and then moving the threaded needle carrying a loop of thread upwardly through the fabric and through the eye ol' said button, to draw up a primary loop of thread theretlnmigh; then advancing the fabric while the needle is elevated and at rest and holding the primary loop; next releasing such loop from the needle while the latter descends clear of the button-eye but through the primary loop and the fabric, then carrying the thread for the secondary loop around the needle and giving` the needle :t second upward movement, drawing up a secondary loop of the thread through the fabric und the Virimary loop; then spreading thc secondary loop and casting it oill from the needle, and moving the spread loop bodily into position above the button; then shedding the spread secondary loop and placing it over the button close to the fabric and finally pulling the secoi'idary loop taut around the eye of the button and the primary loop.

2. T he herein described method of attaching a button to a fabric, which consists in clamping the fabric with a suitable clamp and holding the button with its eye in the needle-path and moving the needle downward through the eye and the fabric, carryloop from the needle while the latter de# ing the thread about the lowered needle and moving 'the latter upward, drawing a primary loop of the thread through the fabric and the eye of said button; advancing the fabric while the needle is elevated and at rest above it neXt releasing the `primary scends clear of the button-eye but through the primary loop and the fabric; carrying the thread for the secondary loop around the needle; moving the needle upward and drawing the secondary loop through the fabric and the primary loop and releasing the button; neXt spreading' and holding the Secondary loop and casting it off from the needle; temporarily holdingthe loop spread and moving it bodily into Aposition above the said button; tipping and releasing the saread loop and placing it over the button close to the fabric; and finally pulling the secondary loop taut around the button-eye and the primary loop. Y i

3. The herein described method of attaching a series of buttons to a fabric, which consists in clamping the fabric with a suitable clam then moving a needle downward through t e fabric and the eye of the button, carrying the thread about the lowered needle and moving the needle upward, drawing up a primary loop of the thread through the fabric and the eye; then giving a short initial advance to the fabric while the needle is ele upon the needle, moving the latter upward,

and drawing the secondary loop up through the fabric and the primary loop; spreading and casting off the secondary loop from the needle and placing such loop over the button close to the fabric; tightening the secondary loop around the eye of the button, and finally giving a second and longer advance to the fabric while theneedle is elevated above it, to position the fabric for the attachment of the next button when the needle again descends.

In testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNARD T. LEVEQUE.

Witnesses g TnoMAs J. CARTY, WM. J. MoLAUGi-ILIN. 

